The document discusses climate and weather topics including: 1. The seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth and amount of sunlight different areas receive throughout the year. 2. Weather involves current atmospheric conditions while climate describes long-term weather patterns. 3. Major weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes form due to interactions between warm and cold air masses and can cause extensive damage.

2. Climate is
created by the
sun’s solar
energy
interacting
with the
earth’s land,
water, and air.

3. The seasons
change b/c of
the changing
position of the
earth in relation
to the sun.
Weather
extremes are
related to
location on
earth.

4.  Earth is tilted at a 23.5˚ angle relative to the sun
 Areas of Earth get more, less direct sun at
different times of year
 The seasons are related to the earth’s tilt and
revolution

6. The solstice marks the beginning of
summer/winter.
 - sun’s rays directly overhead at noon
at furthest points north and south
 -Summer Solstice = longest day of the
year
 -Winter Solstice = shortest day
It occurs on June 21/22 and
December 22/23

8. The equinox marks the beginning of
spring/fall (autumn).
 - day and night are equal in length
It occurs on September 23 and March
21.

10. Weather is the
condition of the
atmosphere at a
particular location
and time.
Climate is the term
for weather over a
long period of time.
 -Ex. Northern Russia
has a cold climate.

11.  Sun - amount of solar
energy received
 Water vapor –
determines where
there will be
precipitation.
 Cloud Cover – holds
water vapor.
 - Precipitation —
water droplets falling
as rain, snow, sleet,
hail

12.  Elevation – Higher
elevation = thinner air,
loss of ability to hold
moisture
 Air movement (wind) –
moves the solar energy
and moisture (clouds) it
holds.
 Landforms and bodies
of water
 Water heats/cools slowly
 Land heats/cools rapidly

13. Precipitation comes about
when:
1. warm air rises, cools, loses
ability to hold water vapor
2. water vapor condenses into
droplets
3. water droplets form clouds
4. heavy clouds release
droplets as rain, sleet, snow
or hail

14.  There are 3 types
of precipitation:
1. Convectional
2. Orographic
3. Frontal

16. Land on the
leeward side of
hills and
mountains.
There is little
precipitation in
the rain shadow.

18. Form over warm, tropical ocean
waters.
Sometimes called typhoons (Asia)
Formed when air flows over warm
water (over 80 degrees), picking up
large amounts of moisture and
energy.
This flows into a low pressure core &
tightens to form the ―eye‖ or center.
The more heat energy there is, the
stronger the winds become.

20.  Forms slowly over
days
 10-20 mile wide eye
 Can be up to 500
miles wide
 Classified by wind
speed in the Saffir-
Simpson scale;
category 1-5
 Winds from 75-200
mph
 Winds move counter-
clockwise (northern
hemisphere)
 Most storms start off
the coast of Africa
and move west (Cape
Verde storms)
 Damage includes
flooding, wind
damage, & storm
surge.

25.  In 1992, Hurricane
Andrew, a
category 5
hurricane made
landfall in Florida.
 At the time, it was
the most costliest
hurricane in
history, causing
over $26 billion in
damages.

28.  Hurricane Katrina was
one of the most
deadliest and
devastating hurricanes
in recorded history.
 It was responsible for
1,800 deaths and over
$81 billion in damages,
making it the costliest
natural disaster in U.S.
history.

33.  Powerful funnel-shaped columns of spiraling
air.
 Warm air and cool air colliding create them
 Winds up to 300 mph.
 Measured on the Fujita Scale; 0-6.
 Generally they have small diameters (300 ft.)
and travel short distances (1 mile)
 3 out of 4 tornadoes in the world occur in the
U.S. (around 700 per year)

35. F1 Tornado
F2 Tornado
F3 Tornado F4 Tornado

36. F5 Tornado

38.  On May 22, 2011 a
catastrophic, multi-
vortex F5 tornado hit
the town of Joplin,
Missouri.
 It killed 158 people
and caused nearly $3
billion in damages
making it the deadliest
and costliest tornado
in American history.

40.  Before
 After

46. Blizzard - Heavy snowstorm w/
winds of more than 35 mph
creating reduced visibility.
Floods - Water spreads out over
normally dry land
Droughts – A long period of time
w/o rain or minimal rainfall.
 - Droughts result in crop failures,
reduced levels of water in storage.

49.  In 1993, a massive storm hit
the United States.
 Known as the ―White
Hurricane‖, this storm not
only caused a blizzard, but
heavy winds, rains and
tornadoes.
 Many states received several
feet of snow. Tennessee got
the worst with over 5 ft. of
snow in some areas!
 In total, more than 300 people
died as a result of this storm.

53.  In 1993 a great flood
occurred in the Mississippi
River basin.
 The flood was among the
most costly and
devastating to ever occur
in the United States, with
$15 billion in damages and
effecting over 30,000
square miles.
 The floods claimed near
50 lives.
LANDSAT views of the Mississippi,
Missouri and Illinois Rivers.

55.  Drought is an extended
period of time when a
region has a deficiency in
its water supply whether
surface or underground
water.
 A drought can last for
months or years.
 It can cause significant
damage[and harm on
the ecosystem,
agriculture of the
affected region as well as
damage to the economy.

56.  The Great Plains
(150,000 square mile
region) was ravaged by
drought.
 Thousands of families
were forced to flee
and find work
elsewhere.
 Major contributor of
the economic disaster
known as the Great
Depression that took
over 10 years to
recover from.

59.  In 2011, Texas was hit hard by
drought.
 The drought dried up areas so
much that in one town, it
revealed some old history.
 The city of Bluffton, Texas was
purposefully flooded more 50
years ago to create Lake
Buchanan.
 Many parts of town were
submerged under the 20-30 feet
under the lake, that is, until the
drought.
 Since the drought, receding lakes
have been revealing the
foundations of buildings, streets
and eerily, old gravesites…

60.  Climate reflects
the seasonal
patterns of
weather for a
location over a
long period of
time.
 Global climatic
changes may be
natural or
human-made.

61. 1. Wind and
Ocean Currents
2. Latitude
3. Elevation
4. Topography

62.  Help distribute sun’s
heat.
 Convection – the
transfer of heat in the
atmosphere by upward
motion of the air.
 Wind - created by cool
air (high pressure)
rushing into warm air
(low pressure).

63.  Hot air moves toward
the poles, and cold air
moves towards the
equator.
 Winds are curved b/c of
earth’s rotation.
 Coriolis effect –
bending of the winds.
 Winds are identified
from the direction they
come from.
 P. 54

64.  Warm water flows away from the equator
toward the poles and vice versa.
 Winds blowing over ocean currents affect the
climate of lands.
 Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift keep
Europe moderate.
 Europe is much more moderate than Canada.
 P. 55

65.  There are three
zones of
latitude.
1. Low or tropical
2. Middle or
temperate
3. High or polar

66.  Temperature drops
3.5 degrees for
every 1,000 feet
you climb.
 Mountains can
affect climate by
not allowing clouds
to pass over them.
 What is this called?

67.  El Nino – The natural warming of the waters
off the coast of S. America.
 - Every 2-7 years, easterly winds change
directions ad push warm water w/ heavy rains
towards the Americas.
 La Nina – Reverse of El Nino. Causes drought
conditions to occur along the Pacific coast.
 P. 57

69.  Since the 1800s, the temperature of the
earth has increased.
 Scientists estimate that the temp. will
increase 3.5 degrees in the next century.
 Greenhouse effect- Gases released by coal
and petro traps solar energy.
 Scientists predict ice caps will melt and
severe flooding could occur.

72.  Climate regions tell geographers about an
area without giving many local details.
 Temperature and precipitation are the two
most important factors.
 5 General Regions: Tropical (low latitude),
dry (arid), mid-latitude, high latitude, and
highland.

73.  Always hot
 Avg. temp. of 80 deg. F
 Central & South America
 Africa and Southwest Asia

74.  Long, hot and humid summers
 Mild to cool winters
 Found on east coast of continents
 Suitable or raising crops

75.  Summers are hot and dry
 Winters are cool and wet

76.  Moderate temperatures
 frequently cloudy,
foggy, damp

79.  Receives little precipitation
 Hot summers
 Found in interior of continents, near deserts

80.  Categorized according to rainfall
 Can be hot or cold
 Receive less than 10 inches of rain/year

81.  Flat, treeless lands around Arctic Circle
 Very little precipitation
 Mostly in Northern Hemisphere
 Permafrost – subsoil always frozen

82.  Permanently freezing
 Rarely snows – too cold
 Called polar deserts

83.  Soil and climate
help to determine
the vegetation of a
region.
 Human land use
alters the
vegetation in both
positive and
negative ways.

84.  Soil is a thin layer of
weathered rock, humus,
air, water
 Topsoil refers to the top
6‖ of soil
 Soil characteristics vary
with climate
 Type of soil determines
type of vegetation that
can be supported
 Type of vegetation
determines type of
possible human activity.

85.  Ecosystem—
interdependent
community of plants
and animals
 Biome—the ecosystem
of a particular region
 Biomes are further
divided into:
 - forest
 - grassland
 - desert
 - tundra

86.  Forest regions categorized by
trees they support—broadleaf
or needle
 Deciduous—broadleaf trees:
maple, oak, birch, cottonwood
 - mostly in Northern Hemisphere
 Coniferous—needle leaf trees;
cone bearing: pine, fir, cedar
 - mostly in Northern Hemisphere
 Deciduous and coniferous
trees together form mixed
forest

88.  Rain forest—
tropical forest
covered with
broadleaf trees

89.  Flat regions with
few trees
 A savanna is a
tropical grassland
 Steppe, or prairie,
are temperate
grasslands of
Northern
Hemisphere

91.  Plants in these
regions have
adapted to climate
extremes:
 - tundra plants
(mosses, lichen)
hug the ground
 - desert plants
(cacti, sagebrush)
conserve water,
withstand heat

93.  Humans either adapt
to land, or alter it to
meet their needs
 Some human
activities that affect
the environment:
 - building dams
 - installing irrigation
systems
 - planting crops
 - slashing and burning
vegetation